New Perspectives for the Village

Broadway veers slightly west as it crosses Greenwich Village, colloquially called “the Village” by those more familiar with the neighborhood, breaking with its oblique north-south course and aligning itself with Manhattan’s regular grid of streets and avenues. 

Known as one of the coolest and most sought-after areas of the metropolis, this neighborhood does not feature the glittering skyscrapers that populate the Big Apple in the popular imagination. Instead, it is much more common to come across small-scale buildings, homes, small parks, and pleasant corners in which to enjoy the city in an informal and relaxed context. However, things are changing, as demonstrated by Perkins&Will’s project developed by Columbia Property Trust for an office building located at number 799 on one of the world’s most famous streets. The Village is slowly changing its vocation, attracting the attention of companies and businesses working in the field of technology, which have quickly begun to populate the area. 

Perkins&Will was commissioned to design the exterior architecture and the interiors of the common areas in the building called 799 Broadway. Taking inspiration from the dimensions and the scale of the surrounding buildings, the project consists of 12 floors in total and presents itself as a synthesis between the character of the neighborhood and a new proposal for architecture intended for office use, capable of meeting new work needs and perspectives that have changed as a consequence of the pandemic. 

From the outside, the façades appear as an uninterrupted cascade of stacked and staggered glass volumes, visually connected by a single white broken line that forms the stringcourse. A palette of subdued colors and simple materials – metal panels, full-height windows and wooden ceilings – recalls the typical style of the city’s curtain wall skyscrapers and mirrors the spires and pinnacles of Grace Church, located across the street. Perkins&Will designed the arrangement of volumes that make up the building to provide open views into the office space, carve out large terraces on each floor, and enliven the urban profile with a distinctive building. 

The interiors were designed to meet the desires of future users and to satisfy their expectations for a modern and comfortable workplace. Large windows, an abundance of natural light, indoor temperature control and air purification and exchange systems, open space and relaxation areas guarantee healthiness and
well-being for the building occupants. Wood was used extensively in the finishes for the common spaces, both in the pavements and wall and ceiling coverings. This neutral base gives warmth to the environments; juxtaposed with upholstered furniture in pastel tones and ceramic wall cladding with a more pronounced character. Spacious, open floor plans allow future tenants to personalize the offices, in an architectural and common space context that represents a perfect response to what workers in the TAMI field – tech, advertising, media and information – seek in a workplace. 

The façades appear as an uninterrupted cascade of stacked and staggered glass volumes, visually connected by a single white broken line that forms the stringcourse.

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799 Broadway Office Building - Chris Cooper - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The building stands across from the courtyard of Grace Church, and was designed to maintain the reduced, human scale typical of the buildings in the village.

799 Broadway Office Building - Chris Cooper - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The double-height lobby is clad in multifaceted wooden panels. The windows seek to visually capture the spire of the nearby Grace Church, placing the exterior of the building in communication with the interior.

799 Broadway Office Building - Chris Cooper - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The interiors are open and flexible and connect with spacious outdoor terraces on almost every level.

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The project, which was modified during its construction phase to meet new needs arising from the pandemic, proposes an office model that is open, flexible and people oriented.

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The Lounge and Amenity Center is equipped with relaxation spaces for employees.

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The airy interiors are modern and repropose the typical New York loft atmosphere.

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

A kitchen available to tenants in the Lounge and Amenity Center allows workers to cook their own food, incentivizing a healthy lifestyle.

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

On the lower level, there is a bike storage room, with a locker and changing rooms with showers.

799 Broadway Office Building - Garrett Rowland - courtesy of Perkins&Will

The fitness center, exclusively for tenants, is one of the elements that contributed to the building’s two-star Fitwel® certification – a testament to the designers’ attention to the physical, mental and social health of building occupants.

799 Broadway Office Building - Chris Cooper - courtesy of Perkins&Will

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